The team at Food For Free appreciates each member of the community of compassionate volunteers who give their time and energy to help us fight food insecurity and food waste across eastern Massachusetts. Today, we want to highlight a couple of our volunteers, Sharmila Chandrasekaran and Sudhakar Karuppaiah, whose commitment and enthusiasm have made a significant impact in our community.
Sharmila first learned about Food For Free through her previous employer when she was on a volunteer committee. After learning more about the need for healthy food in the community and how Food For Free is working to meet that need, Sharmila recommended Food For Free to her employer for a corporate volunteer day. Although that volunteer shift didn’t end up happening, Sharmila was so impressed with our mission and work, particularly in food rescue, that she decided to volunteer on her personal time.
Before long, her husband Sudhakar joined Sharmila in her efforts, and now the couple helps out as much as they can. They have found joy in working together towards a cause they believe in. Sharmila shared, “We are grateful that Food For Free has provided an opportunity to work together. Work at Food For Free is highly efficient and well coordinated, and we enjoy working together towards a cause.”
When asked to compare themselves to vegetables, Sharmila likened herself to an onion, symbolizing layers of complexity and flavor, while Sudhakar is more like a pepper, colorful and spicy. We ask this playful question to remind us about both the vibrant and diverse community we have at Food For Free and the diverse array of fruits and vegetables that our programs provide to the community.
The couple reports that one of their proudest moments as volunteers is the realization of how much can be achieved in a short time. “After each session, we feel proud that as a small team we packed over 150 boxes in such a short time! We leave with a great feeling,” Sharmila said.
Sharmila and Sudhakar’s experience at Food For Free has been a positive one for the eight months they have been volunteering with us, and they always look forward to their volunteer shifts. They praise the quick and easy volunteer sign-up process, the variety of weekly volunteer opportunities, the sense of belonging they get from being a part of our community, and the efficiency of the overall process. When considering the growing need in the community, Sharmila shared her reflection with us that every person’s actions are helpful towards creating a more food secure community.
Sharmila’s favorite food that we distribute to the community? Vegetables, of course! Especially onions and peppers.
We are incredibly grateful for volunteers like Sharmila and Sudhakar. Their dedication and hard work help us fulfill our mission of increasing access to fresh, healthy, delicious food in our community. Thank you, Sharmila and Sudhakar, for your contributions to building a healthy community!
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Join our community of volunteers and help make a difference. Every little action is helpful, and together, we can fight food insecurity. Sign up to volunteer at Food For Free today by visiting https://foodforfree.org/volunteer/.
